Improvement in saddle-tree forks



2 Sheet s-Sheet l.

C D. MOODY. Saddle-Tree Forks.

No. 219,408. Patented Sept. 9, 1879 Inventor. Chm! Moody "-PETERS. PHOTOLITHOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON, D C- 2 Sheet sSheet 2.

O. D. MOODY. Saddle-Tree Forks.

No. 219,408. Patented Sept. 9,1879.

J V e ALte st. I Inventor fizd w (A Low. 151/1. 4

".PEIERS FIDTO-LITHOGRAPKER, WASHINGTON, D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

CHARLES D. MOODY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN SADDLE-TREE FORKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 219,408, datedSeptember 9, 1879 application filed July 17, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES D. MOODY, of St. Louis, Missouri, have madea new and useful Improvement in Saddle'Tree Forks, of which thefollowing isa full, clear, and exact desription, reference beinghad tothe annexed drawings, making part of this specification, in

. cap-a construction extensively used by parties herding cattle.

Such forks, to withstand the strains of the lasso, must necessarily bequite strong. The

custom has been to make the fork proper and pommel-neck in one piece andof metal, and the cap in another piece and of Wood, and to attach it tothe pommel-neck and hold it in place thereon by means of the usualrawhide that is stretched over the fork.

To lighten the construction the pommel-neck is made hollow and open atits upper end, upon which the cap rests. This construction isobjectionable in this: if the horse, while saddled, rolls over, there isa liability of the cap being broken or loosened in its place. This alsois liable to occur in the rough usage that a saddle is often subjectedto, or from the lasso being caught around the cap. The construction alsois expensive.

To provide a strong, durable construction that can withstand all thevarious strains that in practice are put upon it, as well as one thatcan bereadily made, is the aim of the present improvement.

It consists in casting the projecting cap of metal, hollow, and in onepiece, With perforations to support the core in casting and givelightness to the cap; and, further, in a saddletree fork having itsfork, neck, and cap cast in one piece of metal, the neck and cap beingmade hollow, and the cap having perforations to support the core incasting and give lightness to the cap.

A represents the fork proper B, the pomniel-neck, and (l the cap. Thefork Ais of the usual shape. The neck B and cap 0 are both made hollowto lighten the construction,

which otherwise would be impracticably heavy. For the same reason thefork, as shown at a a, may be perforated at various places. The shell ofthe cap is also perlbr'ated at 00, partly to lighten it, but also toenable the core, as the fork is cast, to be better supported, for theentire fork is of metal and made at a single casting. Thus a verydurable and also li'ght fork is very readily obtained. The cap is notliable to be broken away at its edges, or to. be dislodged from theneck. The expense, also, of a separate cap and of attaching it to theneck is avoided. It also enables the fork to be used without the rawhidecovering, as heretofore has been essential, for a finished constructioncan be made by simply fastening the fork to the tree. The fork can also,as by nickel-plating, be given any desired finish.

I claim-- 1. In a saddle-tree fork, substantially as described, theprojecting cap 0, cast hollow, of

metal, and having perforations c, to support the core in casting andgive lightness to the cap, as set forth.

2. The saddle-tree fork, substantially as described, having fork A, neckB, and cap (J, cast in one piece, of metal, said neck and cap being madehollow, and the cap being provided with perforations c, for supportingthe core in casting and giving lightness to the cap.

, CHAS. D. MOODY.

Witnesses:

.CHARLES K. PIoKLEs,

D. W. O. SANFORD.

